Electrosurgical blades of the type employed by surgeons heretofore, have comprised essentially conventional surgical steel cutting tool, such as a scalpel, connected to a suitable radiofrequency source. In the prior art, the patient is placed in electrical contact with a "patient plate." The "patient plate" was connected to the ground terminal of the radiofrequency source, while the cutting blade was connected to the "hot" terminal of the radiofrequency source. Radiofrequency current flows from the edge of the cutting blade to the "patient plate" through the patient. Since the cutting blade is narrow and the "patient plate" is wide, the radiofrequency energy concentrates at the cutting edge of the knife, fanning out to the "patient plate" at the other side of the patient. Electrosurgical cutting blades cauterize small blood vessels as the blade penetrates tissue. However, in such prior art electrosurgery, patients have suffered from radiofrequency burns due to poor contact with the "patient plate." As will be apparent, if the radiofrequency energy is not spread over a large area as it leaves the patient's body entering the "patient plate," concentrations of radiofrequency energy due to lack of good overall contact may cause serious rf burns, since radiofrequency energy on the order of 100 W must be provided to enable sufficient energy concentration at the knife blade to be effective.